Transurb has been a loyal customer of mine for right around two years. After several photography sessions in Belgium, they decided to keep a professional and homogeneous quality to their visual communication by using my experience in corporate photography for their projects abroad. I’ve now acted as their international corporate photographer for projects in Belgium, Morocco and Singapore. And now, it’s with great pride that I share their newest achievement in Finland: the training facility, KRAO, in Kouvola.

Transurb Simulation is a private company from Belgium providing simulation and advanced training solutions for railway and urban mobility solutions. They have different simulators for light rail, freight trains, passenger trains and even for the metro. Transurb Simulation was born 15 years ago by combining the considerable expertise of Transurb with a young and dynamic team.

Audrey Chisogne, the project manager of this great project in Finland, was my first contact with Transurb. The KRAO training facility invested in brand new simulators to provide Finnish drivers with complete and accurate training. The simulator’s software features dynamic and intuitive tools which enable autonomy and dexterity. It is also equipped with very accurate train model, tracks environment … And, with interchangeable driving desks on the Compact (half-cab simulators), the facility will be able to train on different types of rolling stock to stay current as rail technology continues to evolve.

Transurb Simulation: International Corporate Photography

Kouvola is in Finland, so the day before the shoot, I flew from Brussels to Helsinki and then travelled by train to Kouvola. On the day of the shoot, I headed to the KRAO training facility early in the morning. My main goal as a corporate photographer for this shoot was to highlight the installations made by Transurb. The facility consisted of two rooms. One room was designed for group training with a wall observer, 6 Nano (simulator on iMac) and one instructor station. The second room was tailored for individual learning, with six compact simulators for self-study.

While taking these images, I wanted to highlight the quality of the training tools put in place. These simulators have a beautiful finish, and each room had a pleasant layout. Rather than feeling like a room of machines, there was a pleasant ambiance and it inspired a feeling of learning and collaboration.

As I was working, there were training sessions in process. So, it was important to be careful not to disturb the learning. The tricky thing in getting these shots was to find shooting angles that not only highlight the achievement, but also to make sure there was clear information in every image. As a corporate photographer, it is also necessary to master the light, contrast and reflections to show clear detail in every photograph.

I tried to highlight these spaces from a global point of view while still making sure to capture both the small details, like the joysticks, and important points like the large simulation screens. I accomplished this all while taking the time and care to ensure there were no reflections on the many screens and that everything was tidy without any extra objects in the picture. Not a small task with training sessions happening at the same time!

Acting as the corporate photographer for this project was very interesting. These simulators offer a multitude of training possibilities like different weather conditions, intervention on the train or tracks and endless opportunities for customization. To fully immerse myself in this project, I even took my own virtual visit in one of the simulators. The 3D rendering in the training is also amazingly realistic! This is beautiful project of a beautiful quality, built in a pleasant atmosphere and, in addition, accompanied by a beautiful snowy landscape! I shot all day until the evening and returned home to Belgium the following day.

I would like to thank Audrey and the whole team for their professional confidence and the warm welcome she provides on every project. I’m so pleased to collaborate as an international corporate photographer for projects like this one and look forward to the success of the KRAO training facility.

Virtual tour: discover the project in 360 degrees

In order to completely immerse myself in this project, I also made a virtual tour in high resolution that you can discover below.

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